BY PAM DELANY
Imagine that the simple act of choosing what to cook for dinner could help combat climate change. According to the United Nations Climate Action Report, global food systems release approximately 30% of the world’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By taking a closer look at a single dinner recipe, we can uncover the hidden environmental costs of our meals and discover how minor adjustments in our kitchens can make a significant difference for the planet.
Each meal we consume carries an environmental price tag, known as its carbon footprint. This footprint measures the total GHG emissions produced throughout the food’s lifecycle — from production and processing to transportation and disposal. These emissions, expressed as CO2 equivalent (CO2e), account for all GHGs like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, which contribute to climate change by trapping heat in the atmosphere. In addition to climate change, food systems impact water usage, land use, biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste generation.
MEASURING FOOD’S CARBON FOOTPRINT
Calculating a food’s carbon footprint is a complex process due to the many factors that contribute to GHGs: raising or growing the food, processing, packaging, transporting, and waste. Some factors make a larger impact than others. As an example, beef that is raised, produced, and transported across the country has a relatively similar carbon footprint to locally raised beef because the majority of its carbon footprint comes from the emissions associated with raising the cattle. Transportation emissions
for beef and other meats are relatively small in comparison. Because the emissions associated with growing vegetables are much smaller, transportation emissions are weighted higher when calculating carbon footprint. My Emissions, an environmental impact assessment organization, provides a simplified and user-friendly calculator (www.myemissions.co/ resources/food-carbon-footprint-calculator/) that you can use to estimate your food’s carbon footprint.
What is an ideal food carbon footprint? To help people understand their ideal footprint, sustainability experts from My Emissions set the Fair Daily Food Emissions (FDFE) at 3,050 grams of CO2e (gCO2e) daily for each person. This FDFE would ensure global food justice while also reducing GHG emissions.
A CASE STUDY: SOUTHWESTERN FAJITAS
Our analysis begins with looking at a beef fajita dinner. Most fajita recipes contain meat, bell peppers, onions, flour tortillas, olive oil, and seasoning. Assuming you purchased beef that was produced and transported across the country, your beef fajitas would produce 5,591 gCO2e per serving, 83% higher than the FDFE of 3,050 gCO2e. Using local beef produced just 50 miles away lowers emissions by only 80 grams. Replacing beef with shrimp lowers the dinner’s carbon footprint to 1,956 gCO2e. Chicken decreases the recipe’s footprint to 1,242, with vegetarian fajitas made with mushrooms or black beans reducing gCO2e to 676 and 621, respectively. Here are three additional ways to lower your food’s carbon footprint.
ADOPT A PLANT-FORWARD DIET
Adopting a plant-forward diet that prioritizes eating plants is a powerful way to reduce your food’s carbon footprint. If you are not ready for a vegetarian diet, consider a plant-forward approach by reducing
your meat intake to a few days per week. Gradually integrate plant proteins such as beans, lentils, and tofu into your recipes. Vegetable proteins dramatically lower GHGs. For the lowest carbon footprint, increase your daily intake of produce, whole grains, and legumes until they make up most of your diet.
CHOOSE LOCALLY SOURCED AND SEASONAL FOODS
Buy locally sourced and seasonal foods, especially produce. Local produce requires less transportation, packaging, and storage, resulting in a lower carbon footprint. Produce picked at its peak ripeness is more nutrient-dense and flavorful. While the footprint of locally produced meat is similar to meat produced elsewhere, you are supporting small sustainable producers and your local economy. Local First Arizona’s Good Food Finder and The Arizona Farm Bureau’s Fill Your Plate websites provide local food sources and seasonal produce guides.
REDUCE FOOD WASTE
Decomposing food waste in landfills produces methane, a GHG more potent than carbon at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Minimizing food waste lowers emissions and promotes more efficient use of resources. Simple steps like planning meals, freezing and storing food properly, and using leftovers can significantly improve footprint metrics. Additionally, composting organic waste instead of sending it to landfills further reduces GHG emissions.
It all adds up. Every meal choice is an opportunity to impact our planet positively. By focusing on the carbon footprint of our food, we directly contribute to a more sustainable future. Consider starting small with one recipe or researching a local food producer. Minor changes, by everyone, combine to make a great impact on improving climate change outcomes.
